550 Amp Wire Size at 500 Feet (12V DC (Solar / Automotive / Marine))
Complete conductor sizing, Ohm's law voltage drop, $I^2R$ line power loss, and circuit breaker specification for a 550 A load over a 500 ft (152.4 m) one-way run.
Copper Wire (≤3% Drop)20× 1000 kcmil (Parallel)506.7 mm² · Drop: 2.95%
Aluminum Wire (≤3% Drop)1000 kcmilDrop: 11.68V (97.32%)
Voltage at Load End11.7 VLoss: 0.35 V (194.7 W)
Power & Breaker (125%)6.6 kW700A Breaker Recommended
All AWG & kcmil Wire Gauges for 550 Amps at 500 Feet (12V)
| Wire Gauge | Metric Area | NEC 75°C Cu Ampacity | Copper Voltage Drop | Load Voltage | Aluminum Drop | Line Loss ($I^2R$) | NEC Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 AWG | 2.08 mm² | 15 A | 1724.76 V (14372.98%) | 0.0 V | 2845.04 V (23708.7%) | 948616.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 12 AWG | 3.31 mm² | 20 A | 1083.84 V (9031.96%) | 0.0 V | 1787.82 V (14898.52%) | 596109.6 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 10 AWG | 5.26 mm² | 30 A | 682.03 V (5683.61%) | 0.0 V | 1125.04 V (9375.3%) | 375118.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 8 AWG | 8.37 mm² | 50 A | 428.61 V (3571.78%) | 0.0 V | 707.01 V (5891.77%) | 235737.5 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 6 AWG | 13.3 mm² | 65 A | 269.74 V (2247.8%) | 0.0 V | 444.94 V (3707.83%) | 148355.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4 AWG | 21.15 mm² | 85 A | 169.62 V (1413.51%) | 0.0 V | 279.8 V (2331.64%) | 93291.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3 AWG | 26.67 mm² | 100 A | 134.51 V (1120.95%) | 0.0 V | 221.89 V (1849.05%) | 73982.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2 AWG | 33.62 mm² | 115 A | 106.71 V (889.23%) | 0.0 V | 176.02 V (1466.81%) | 58689.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1 AWG | 42.41 mm² | 130 A | 84.59 V (704.92%) | 0.0 V | 139.54 V (1162.79%) | 46524.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1/0 AWG | 53.49 mm² | 150 A | 67.07 V (558.9%) | 0.0 V | 110.63 V (921.93%) | 36887.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2/0 AWG | 67.43 mm² | 175 A | 53.2 V (443.36%) | 0.0 V | 87.76 V (731.34%) | 29261.8 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3/0 AWG | 85.01 mm² | 200 A | 42.2 V (351.67%) | 0.0 V | 69.61 V (580.1%) | 23210.5 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4/0 AWG | 107.2 mm² | 230 A | 33.47 V (278.88%) | 0.0 V | 55.2 V (460.02%) | 18406.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 250 kcmil | 126.7 mm² | 255 A | 28.31 V (235.96%) | 0.0 V | 46.71 V (389.22%) | 15573.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 300 kcmil | 152.0 mm² | 285 A | 23.6 V (196.68%) | 0.0 V | 38.93 V (324.43%) | 12981.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 350 kcmil | 177.3 mm² | 310 A | 20.23 V (168.62%) | 0.0 V | 33.38 V (278.14%) | 11128.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 400 kcmil | 202.7 mm² | 335 A | 17.7 V (147.49%) | 0.0 V | 29.19 V (243.29%) | 9734.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 500 kcmil | 253.4 mm² | 380 A | 14.16 V (117.98%) | 0.0 V | 23.35 V (194.61%) | 7786.6 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 600 kcmil | 304.0 mm² | 420 A | 11.8 V (98.34%) | 0.2 V | 19.47 V (162.22%) | 6490.5 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 750 kcmil | 380.0 mm² | 475 A | 9.44 V (78.67%) | 2.6 V | 15.57 V (129.77%) | 5192.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1000 kcmil | 506.7 mm² | 545 A | 7.08 V (59.0%) | 4.9 V | 11.68 V (97.32%) | 3894.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
Frequently Asked Engineering Questions
What size copper wire do I need for 550 amps at 500 feet (12V)?
To stay within the NEC recommended 3% maximum voltage drop for a 550A load over 500 feet one-way at 12V (DC), you need 20× 1000 kcmil (Parallel) copper wire. This produces a voltage drop of 0.35V (2.95%) and delivers 11.7V at the load.
What size aluminum wire is required for 550 amps at 500 feet?
Using aluminum conductors (75°C rating), you should use 1000 kcmil to maintain voltage drop at 11.68V (97.32%).
What breaker size is needed for a 550A continuous load?
Under NEC 210.20(A), continuous loads require a circuit breaker rated at 125% of the continuous current (550A × 1.25 = 687.5A), which corresponds to a standard 700A circuit breaker.
Compare Other Distances & Amperages
550 Amp Wire Size by Distance (12V)
550A at 20 ft (12V)550A at 30 ft (12V)550A at 40 ft (12V)550A at 50 ft (12V)550A at 60 ft (12V)550A at 75 ft (12V)550A at 80 ft (12V)550A at 100 ft (12V)550A at 120 ft (12V)550A at 125 ft (12V)550A at 150 ft (12V)550A at 175 ft (12V)